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  In situ generation of hydrogen peroxideUSPTO Application #: 20070272547Title: In situ generation of hydrogen peroxide Abstract: A device is disclosed for the generation of hydrogen peroxide. The device produces hydrogen peroxide on an as-needed basis through the use of electrolysis of water, wherein the hydrogen and oxygen are mixed in the electrolyzer, and the hydrogen and oxygen mixture in water are reacted in a reactor to produce hydrogen peroxide. (end of abstract) Agent: Honeywell Intellectual Property Inc Patent Services - Morristown, NJ, US Inventors: Kurt M. Vanden Bussche, Jason T. Corradi, Anil R. Oroskar, Gavin P. Towler, Rusty M. Pittman USPTO Applicaton #: 20070272547 - Class: 204242 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070272547. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001]The present invention relates to a device and process for producing hydrogen peroxide directly from water for use in appliances. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]Currently the most widely practiced industrial scale production method for hydrogen peroxide is an indirect reaction of hydrogen and oxygen employing alkylanthraquinone as the working material. In a first catalytic hydrogenation step, the alkylanthraquinone, dissolved in a working solution comprising organic solvents (e.g. di-isobutylcarbinol and methyl naphthalene), is converted to alkylanthrahydroquinone. In a separate autooxidation step, this reduced compound is oxidized to regenerate the alkylanthraquinone and yield hydrogen peroxide. Subsequent separation by aqueous extraction, refining, and concentration operations are then employed to give a merchant grade product. [0003]Overall, this indirect route to H.sub.2O.sub.2 formation, whereby a carrier medium is reduced and then oxidized, adds complexity and requires high installation and operating costs. One notable drawback is the significant solubility of the alkylanthraquinone in the aqueous extraction medium used to separate the hydrogen peroxide product. This promotes loss of working solution and leads to contamination of the hydrogen peroxide product with organic species that, when the hydrogen peroxide is concentrated to levels suitable for transport, are reactive with it. A second problem relates to the solubility of the aqueous extraction solution in the alkylanthraquinone working solution. When wet working solution is separated from the aqueous phase for recycle to the indirect oxidation stage, residual aqueous phase "pockets" within the organic solution provide regions for hydrogen peroxide product to concentrate to the extent of becoming hazardous. A third problem relates to the usage and recovery of an organic compound when small amounts of hydrogen peroxide are needed without the organic contamination in an aqueous stream. [0004]Considerably more simple and economical than the alkylanthraquinone route is the direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from gaseous hydrogen and oxygen feed streams. This process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,938 B1 and other references, but attempts at commercialization have led to industrial accidents resulting from the inherent explosion hazards of this process. Namely, explosive concentrations of hydrogen in an oxygen-hydrogen gaseous mixture at normal temperature and pressure are from 4.7-93.9% by volume. Thus the range is extremely broad. [0005]It is also known that dilution of the gaseous mixture with an inert gas like nitrogen scarcely changes the lower limit concentrations, on an inert gas-free basis, of the two gases. Within normal ranges of pressure variation (1-200 atmospheres) and temperature variation (0-100.degree. C.) the explosive range is known to undergo little change. Furthermore, even when these reactants are brought together in a ratio that, in the homogeneous condition, would be outside the flammability envelope, the establishment of homogeneity from pure components necessarily involves at least a temporary passage through the flammability envelope. For these reasons, the explosion risks associated with the direct contacting of hydrogen and oxygen are not easily mitigated. [0006]In the area of directly contacting hydrogen and oxygen, some efforts have also been made to contain the reaction in a liquid phase. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,588 B1 discloses the use of a catalyst having a modified hydrophobic/hydrophilic support to provide optimum performance in an aqueous liquid phase. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,804 B1 discloses dispersing minute bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen into a rapidly flowing acidic aqueous liquid medium containing a catalyst. Unfortunately, however, the hydrogen and oxygen reactants are only slightly soluble in the aqueous reaction solvents disclosed in these references. [0007]Other references, namely U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,240 B1 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,231 B1 disclose two-phase reaction systems with a homogeneous catalyst dissolved in an organic phase. As mentioned in the former of these two references, homogeneous catalyst systems in general suffer from drawbacks that are a deterrent to their commercial use. The adverse characteristics include poor catalyst stability under reaction conditions, limited catalyst solubility in the reaction medium, and low reaction rates for the production of hydrogen peroxide. In addition, a gaseous H.sub.2/O.sub.2 containing environment above the two-phase liquid reaction system maintains the equilibrium concentrations of these reactants dissolved in the liquid phase. Therefore, this gaseous atmosphere above the reaction liquid must necessarily be outside the flammability envelope, thus greatly restricting the range of potential reactant mole ratios in the liquid phase. [0008]It would be useful to have a device and process for making hydrogen peroxide in a convenient manner, on an as-needed basis, without the need of extra chemicals, and without generating a waste product stream. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009]The present invention is for making hydrogen peroxide in solution for use in an appliance. The invention comprises a housing having a water inlet port and hydrogen peroxide outlet port. An electrolyzer is situated within the housing and is positioned near the water inlet port. The invention further includes a reactor situated within the housing and positioned between the electrolyzer and the hydrogen peroxide outlet port. The invention generates the hydrogen peroxide as needed, and removes the need for storage or direct handling of the hydrogen peroxide. [0010]In an alternate embodiment the invention further comprises an oxygen inlet port for delivering oxygen to the reactor. The oxygen inlet port is preferably positioned between the electrolyzer and the reactor. [0011]In one embodiment the electrolyzer comprises a plurality of electrodes separated by separators, wherein the electrodes are separated by a gap less than 400 micrometers and preferably by a gap of about 200 micrometers. The invention also comprises a reactor, where the reactor includes an appropriate catalyst on a support for reacting the hydrogen and oxygen in a liquid phase to form an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution. [0012]In another embodiment, the invention comprises a housing with an inlet port and an outlet port. The invention includes an electrolyzer positioned near the inlet port for decomposing a portion of water admitted through the inlet port. The electrolyzer comprises a plurality of electrodes oriented to allow the water entering the housing to flow freely over the electrodes. The invention includes a reactor comprised of a catalyst on a support, wherein the catalyst is selected from platinum, palladium ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, osmium and gold. The invention further includes a control system for supplying the electrical power to the electrolyzer when hydrogen peroxide is needed. [0013]Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent after a detailed description of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [0014]The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like parts throughout the several views and wherein; [0015]FIG. 1 is a diagram of the present invention; [0016]FIG. 2 is a general schematic for the generalized invention; [0017]FIG. 3 is an electrode array for the present invention; [0018]FIG. 4 is a diagram of the electrodes for the electrolyzer; [0019]FIG. 5 is the electrode array in a preferred configuration; [0020]FIG. 6 is a design of an electrode for use in the electrolyzer; and Continue reading... Full patent description for In situ generation of hydrogen peroxide Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this In situ generation of hydrogen peroxide patent application. Patent Applications in related categories: 20080169187 - Electrical circuit for an electrolyser and method for reducing the electromagnetic fields near the electrolyser - An electrical circuit for reducing electromagnetic fields in a vicinity of an electrolyzer, including an electrolyzer and an electrical line including at least one busbar for returning the current flowing through the electrolyzer, and a power supply of at least two rectifiers for delivering currents whose waveforms are phase-shifted with ... ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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